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May the force BME with you (improving racial diversity in Surrey's police force), IN Human Resources (HR), Nov 2018, pp50-51

Describes the approach taken by Surrey Police to boost black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) representation among its employees. Discusses the issue of BAME under-representation and lack of racial diversity in police forces across the UK. Considers the effects of lack of diversity and efforts to improve the situation. Highlights the cultural, stakeholder engagement and budget barriers to BAME representation identified by Surrey Police's BAME staff association SPACE (Surrey Police Association of Culture and Ethnicity), and outlines the steps taken to address the problem. Describes the force's efforts to: target young people by attending community events in schools and colleges; address negative perceptions; introduce mentoring schemes for potential recruits; change the mind set within the force; and provide paid time to work on the initiative. Highlights the emphasis on support at all stages of the employee lifecycle, including recruitment, retention and progression. Provides information on a new promotional framework launched for the BAME talent pool Professional Action Learning Sets (PALS) - a course for talented BAME officers to help prepare them for promotion. Considers the impact of the SPACE team's work on BAME application rates (an average of 8.4% in 2017 compared to zero between April and December 2015) and diversity within the force.

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